Hi Cazplay
Don't we all wish it was limited to the USA! Keep in mind many lawsuits are one sided as well. Typically the defendant would rather not be involved, but gets drug into it. This really has nothing to do with the USA, it was simply and individual William Rand who brought Kathleen Milner to court.
I know of others in the UK who have been given legal threats by Helen Belot over their use of the word Sekhem, it is Fairly world wide.
All Love
Patrick
Reiki lineage is very important in my opinion. Other then finding a good teacher, it's the most important thing besides intention. I've been a teacher for 10 years and can say William Lee Rand is the real deal. First off its unethical for any reiki practitioner to talk crap about any master regardless of lineage. It's ego that brought a separation and changes in the lineages in the first place. In Buddhism teacher and lineage is also the most important thing when receiving empowerments. Scared texts are passed on from teacher to student just like reiki. The difference only a few people become teachers in Buddhism to pass on the teachings. This is how the texts remain sacred. William lee rand keeps the reiki line pure. He has a direct link and can prove it. He won the lawsuit and therefore runs the International Center for Reiki Training. If you look at his lineage you can see he's made it his life's work to study with as many masters as possible. In this day people trademark and copyright for the very reason why he had to sue in the first place. Fortunately William cares about the lineage and feels the need to keep its authenticity sacred, so people don't discredit reiki as quackery. It doesn't matter who your teacher is, but nobody should be putting down William. Especially if you know nothing about him or his background.
Hi Redtara - not sure if you noticed, but the original post was made 6 years ago, almost to the day. Much water under the bridge since then.
I understand that it is old news Jabba
Despite this, I do find very interesting
As even old news is new to someone
I am pleased that it has reappeared
It is not about the Reiki though (as I see it)
It is about the human characters within Reiki
And above all, we are human with human frailties
Reiki lineage is very important in my opinion. Other then finding a good teacher, it's the most important thing besides intention. I've been a teacher for 10 years and can say William Lee Rand is the real deal. First off its unethical for any reiki practitioner to talk crap about any master regardless of lineage. It's ego that brought a separation and changes in the lineages in the first place. In Buddhism teacher and lineage is also the most important thing when receiving empowerments. Scared texts are passed on from teacher to student just like reiki. The difference only a few people become teachers in Buddhism to pass on the teachings. This is how the texts remain sacred. William lee rand keeps the reiki line pure. He has a direct link and can prove it. He won the lawsuit and therefore runs the International Center for Reiki Training. If you look at his lineage you can see he's made it his life's work to study with as many masters as possible. In this day people trademark and copyright for the very reason why he had to sue in the first place. Fortunately William cares about the lineage and feels the need to keep its authenticity sacred, so people don't discredit reiki as quackery. It doesn't matter who your teacher is, but nobody should be putting down William. Especially if you know nothing about him or his background.
Hi RedTara,
I completely agree that having a good known lineage is important, especially if something is going to be called Reiki (unfortunately there are a lot of "Reiki" forms out there that have absolutely no connection to Japan, let alone Usui sensei), and it's good that William wants to keep his lineage known.
I don't think anyone here has talked "crap" about any other master, they've just been presenting the facts (albeit the facts from a few years ago now!) as they know them.
I'm not sure how much we can say that William "won" the lawsuit. Based on the details presented on this thread, it would seem that there was an agreement initially that they were both teaching different things, and it was only when Kathleen talked about the case in her newsletter that she broke a condition of the agreement and William was awarded the money as a result. That's not really a "win" in terms of the inititial reason for why the case was brought; as far as I can see, it doesn't change the apparent fact that they had agreed they were teaching different things. Sure, people can trademark things if they want, and if they are the original creator of that thing, but when it comes to something like Reiki, you cannot trademark the simplicity and original practices of the practice itself, only add-ons and logos/names specific to your own business.
If someone is simply practicing Reiki as it was originally intended, I don't see that there is any need to trademark or sue people over their use of the same.
I don't favour William or Katherine in such a case, as both appear (from the information I have seen about their practices) to have adapted Reiki and added on things that I would deem to be unnecessary.
I find it interesting you make a point that William has made it his lifes work to study with as many masters as possible, and that's great if that's what he chooses. However it raises a question in my mind (perhaps suited to a thread of it's own) as to how many masters does a person need to study with to become a master themselves, or indeed if having many masters could interfere with mastering something completely. One for me to go away and consider...
All Love and Reiki Hugs
I've been a teacher for 10 years and can say William Lee Rand is the real deal.
The fellow who made the original post was certified and began teaching in 1993. I also know that when he was living in Southern California, he received a telephone call directly from William Rand to ask for his opinion about whether or not it would be morally or ethically wrong for Rand to get a domain name titled "reiki.org". The poster replied "yes, do it!" to Rand. (and as a miscellaneous FYI, domains cost some $100 per year back then).
First off its unethical for any reiki practitioner to talk crap about any master regardless of lineage.
What in the original post inspired you to make that comment?
It doesn't matter who your teacher is, but nobody should be putting down William. Especially if you know nothing about him or his background.
In what sentences does the original poster put Rand down? I see a public inquiry to find truth by asking others for validation of facts, but I do not see or interpret any insults in the original post.
This is how the texts remain sacred. William lee rand keeps the reiki line pure. He has a direct link and can prove it.
The argument you present suggests that since he has studied under many Reiki masters, HE is the direct pure link to the reiki line.
In this day people trademark and copyright for the very reason why he had to sue in the first place.
In this day copyrights are automatic and formal filings are not required.
The frequency of Reiki trademarks, however, are a result of the lawsuits between Rand and Milner.
He won the lawsuit and therefore runs the International Center for Reiki Training.
You may wish to research Rand's (and Milner's) teaching prior to Karuna Reiki (and Milner's Tera-Mai Reiki). They were both teaching (call it "attuning" for a reiki-ized version of the concept) Sai Baba energy, until the living Sai Baba himself got word of what they were doing and essentially said that they were not authorized to teach in his name.
Your statement implies that Milner sought to acquire the ICRT from Rand, and she did not.
Dear Energylz,
Thanks for the great response. You have wonderful points:)
As a Buddhist practitioner, I've done my core practices/empowerments and teaching like red Tara 5 times. It gets stronger every time. I find that each time I learn a little more and something changes each time.
With this being said I don't think everyone needs to learn reiki over and over. But it says something about Rand and his dedication and mastery to really understanding it.
I get sensitive about the Reiki community and that includes all branches. Rand or not;) Every practitioner and or teacher is special.
The fellow who made the original post was certified and began teaching in 1993. I also know that when he was living in Southern California, he received a telephone call directly from William Rand to ask for his opinion about whether or not it would be morally or ethically wrong for Rand to get a domain name titled "reiki.org". The poster replied "yes, do it!" to Rand. (and as a miscellaneous FYI, domains cost some $100 per year back then).
What in the original post inspired you to make that comment?
In what sentences does the original poster put Rand down? I see a public inquiry to find truth by asking others for validation of facts, but I do not see or interpret any insults in the original post.
The argument you present suggests that since he has studied under many Reiki masters, HE is the direct pure link to the reiki line.
In this day copyrights are automatic and formal filings are not required.
The frequency of Reiki trademarks, however, are a result of the lawsuits between Rand and Milner.
You may wish to research Rand's (and Milner's) teaching prior to Karuna Reiki (and Milner's Tera-Mai Reiki). They were both teaching (call it "attuning" for a reiki-ized version of the concept) Sai Baba energy, until the living Sai Baba himself got word of what they were doing and essentially said that they were not authorized to teach in his name.
Your statement implies that Milner sought to acquire the ICRT from Rand, and she did not.
Ligh
LightBody nbsp;
It s fine you picked apart every sentence I wrote.
If you read through the thread, some people do speak about Rand in a negative way. One person even suggests he's rolling over in his grave. Yet he's still alive. Regardless of how the words are phrased it's still a boomerang. Negative thoughts, speech, and actions create karma. Please be careful with your words. I said he had a direct and pure link. Not the only link.
I said he had a direct and pure link.
So, of the several individuals he received attunements from, which one was the direct and pure one?
I said he had a direct and pure link.
So, of the several individuals he received attunements from, which one was the direct and pure one?
Does this imply that an indirect and impure link?
Any one who dedicates themselves to a "practice" that they know in every cell and fibre of their body (so to speak) is the right thing them to do is going to be successful.
LightBody nbsp;
It s fine you picked apart every sentence I wrote.
If you read through the thread, some people do speak about Rand in a negative way. One person even suggests he's rolling over in his grave. Yet he's still alive. Regardless of how the words are phrased it's still a boomerang. Negative thoughts, speech, and actions create karma. Please be careful with your words. I said he had a direct and pure link. Not the only link.
If you mean me and post #9, I said:
Dr. Usui must be turning in his grave!
It's was a tongue-in-cheek comment said in commonly used way to express the some of the silly aspects of the Reiki movement 😉
Does this imply that an indirect and impure link?
I think it does.
Any one who dedicates themselves to a "practice" that they know in every cell and fibre of their body (so to speak) is the right thing them to do is going to be successful.
I agree when success is measured by what one learns about oneself through the process.... A different perspective is obtained when looking at the quantity of people who are actually helped by one's practice.
Is one type of attunement more powerful over other or is it all ego? Is lineage more important than the act of actual healing?
I agree 100%. Well said!
I had the opportunity to take Reiki with William Lee Rand last week. He talked about his life his journey how he got into Reiki and everyone he studied with.
He addressed the trademark thing. When Takata brought Reiki to the west she didn't let people write down the symbols, so over the years people changed them because they forgot how to draw them. The trademark is in place for those who want to be a part of ICRT and keep everything the way it was intended to be taught. Some might disagree with what that means exactly and that's okay. Personally I like what he has done with reiki and I'm happy he did what he did.
I'm happy to have met him in person and take a class directly with him. I feel confidant William Lee Rand is an egoless person. He is a kind soul who lives his life for Reiki and healing. I applaud him for doing what he can to keep a direct strong lineage. He's an amazing man and has the karma for what he's doing. Everyone should take a class from him if they can. Life changing experience. I love that man.